


Accidents Happen

by MishaAnya



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Before Battle, Hurt Kíli, Protective Fíli, Protective Thorin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-06 19:33:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3146009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MishaAnya/pseuds/MishaAnya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set before BOFA. It was supposed to be a boring five day hunting trip alone. But things never happen the way they're supposed to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Always looking for constructive criticism so please comment!

Fili sighed as he dumped his pack on to the forest floor before throwing himself down right beside it. It’d been three days since he’d left home. Thorin had finally given him leave to hunt alone, after much arguing on Fili’s part. Showing up with nothing to show for his troubles was a fear that gained weight in the back of his head with each passing hour.

Winter was coming. Soon the forest and paths would be covered in a blanket of ice and snow. He had strict instructions not to be longer than five days. Fili suspected if he was later even by an hour Thorin would not hesitate to find him and he would not find his uncle very agreeable if that were to come about.

Fili sighed. There was nothing more he could do now. The last light was leaving the sky and he would soon be enveloped into darkness if he did not start a fire. He started gathering sticks and twigs from the dry ground to get a fire going before enjoying the meager food he had left in his pack.

He pulled out his pipe after a rather disappointing dinner, and sent smoke rings over the fire in front of him. Crack. Fili stopped. The fire crackled in front of him but the sound had come from behind him. He looked for his bow, but it was out of his reach. Slowly, he pulled the knife at his side into his hand.There was another rustle behind him and out of the corner of his eye he saw a shadow. Fili attacked. The other person was waiting for him. They wrestled only for a moment before Fili got the upper hand and had the other person pinned with a knife to his throat. “Fili, it’s me!” Kili grunted.

Fili’s hand stayed and Kili used his surprise to flip his brother over. “Kili, what in Durin’s name are you-?”

“It wasn’t fair that you got to have all the fun.” Kili stood up. “So I followed you.”

“When?”

“I’ve been tracking you since you left of course.”

“Are you daft? It’s dangerous. He’s only just let me go alone and you decided to tag along?!”

“I didn’t want to be left behind. You’re not that much older than me.”

“And what of Uncle Thorin?”

Kili cringed. “He’s no doubt aware now that I’m no longer present…”

Fili put his head in his hands. “Thorin is going to kill you.”

“Probably.”

“You should go back."

“That would be the wise thing to do.”

“Well, wouldn’t expect you to do the wise thing.”

“Without you? Not a chance.”

Fili sighed. “On your head be it. And not on mine, I hope.”

Kili smiled cheekily at his brother’s exasperated expression. Of all the things for Kili to pull, this would be at the top of the list. Leaving without leaving word, not returning for days. Thorin would have Kili’s hide for this when they got back. Fili did not envy the welcome awaiting his younger brother. In fact, he wondered if Thorin was already searching for them.

Fili sighed. “Go to sleep. We’ll start early and if we don’t find anything tomorrow, we go home.”

The brothers awoke at first light and quickly cleared camp. Fili had been following the tracks of a buck the day before and they continued to track it. They spoke very little, except when the tracks were lost or unclear. They had little time to waste if they were to make it home in the time frame set by Thorin.

The first arrow hit a tree not an inch from Kili’s head. The brothers spun round, weapons at the ready, as the next arrow missed Fili by a hair’s width. Kili blocked the next one with his sword as a band of Orcs closed in. Kili entered the fray without hesitation, and two Orcs dropped before him as Fili covered his flank.

The brothers moved together. They were well trained swordsmen as individual dwarfs, but together they moved as if in a choreographed dance. They had trained side by side for years. They knew each other’s weaknesses. The band of orcs quickly became a pile of carcasses. The Orcs had not anticipated such a fight, but they were not ones to flee, especially when outnumbered.

Kili cried out as an Orc caught him off guard. The sword had struck his leg. He fell and the Orc stood on his wound. Kili grunted as he felt the bones in his leg crack and he thrust his sword into the gut of the Orc. Fili slew his opponent and pushed himself in front of his brother. Kili had risen, but had pulled out his bow as his leg could no longer hold him steady. Finally, it was over and Kili collapsed with relief and pain.

Fili knelt beside his brother and examined the wound. “The sword didn’t cut deep. We just need to clean it.”

Kili nodded, his eyes closed in pain.

The elder brother ran his hand over Kili’s leg and felt the unevenness of the bone fragments and he winced. Kili’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he felt Fili’s hand over his leg. “Kili, it’s broken,” Fili mumbled softly. “I’m going to bind it as well as possible and then we’ll have to get you home.”

It was a good plan in theory. But they were almost two day’s journey from Ered Luin at a formidable pace. Fili shuddered to think how long it would take them now. He sent a silent prayer to Mahal that Thorin would send a company when they didn’t get there in time.

“Kili, let’s get away from here. Not far, but away from the rotting corpses.”

He helped his brother to his good leg and supported the side with the broken leg. Kili put his arm over Fili’s shoulder and slowly they made progress away from the signs of the battle. They could only go a few paces before Kili lost consciousness. Fili put his brother down softly and searched their packs for something he could use to bind the leg.

Eventually, Fili put what was left of his supplies into Kili’s pack and tore up his own to wrap it tightly around Kili’s leg. Kili groaned. His breath was shallow and beads of sweat had started to gather along his brow. Fili touched the younger dwarf’s head softly, patting his hair in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

Fili built a small fire close to his brother to keep him warm and then went back to the pile of Orc carcasses. Nothing about the Orcs suggested Ered Luin was in danger or that more Orc packs were nearby. He returned to camp, too exhausted to eat and fell asleep wondering what the next days held for the two of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting so long. Here's the second chapter.

Fili grunted as he shuffled through the wilderness. He was as strong as the best of them, but half carrying another dwarf was taking a toll. The initial pain of the broken leg had lessened some. Kili was once again upright. But his leg held no weight at all and he seemed to have gained a fever during the night. Still, he trudged on.

In the two days since the Orc attack, they’d covered half of their course. Knowing that Thorin and their mother had been worrying for a night already, made both the boys quiet. They moved as quickly as possible. The temperature had dropped during the prior night. Their light cloaks were barely enough to block the winds now.

Their lunch was pitiful. Kili had relied on finding small game to make up his meals the last two days, but he’d had little luck. They managed to kill a rabbit, but it was thin and offered little meat. Fili wanted nothing more to continue, but Kili had fallen asleep again. The weather seemed to have exacerbated Kili’s fever. He now trembled under his cloak, but he said nothing to Fili.

Fili allowed his brother an hour’s rest before rousing him. The wind had picked up speed and Fili worried that winter was coming early this year. Kili propped himself up on a tree and the brothers took off again, side by side. Fili could feel Kili’s fever radiating off of him. His teeth chattered as he breathed heavily. “Don’t w-w-worry, Fili,” he chattered. “We’ll laugh b-b-bout this when we g-g-get home.”

Fili snorted. “Before or after Uncle Thorin skins us alive?”

Kili chuckled. “Sorry if I get you in trouble, brother.”

“Worry about it when it comes to pass.”

Kili had been trying to keep his spirits up, but now he struggled. The wind picked up speed as the day wore on and clouds began to darken in the sky. Guilt tugged at the younger dwarf’s gut as he thought of home and of his mother waiting for him. Yet, he knew that had he not followed Fili, there’d be a fair chance that he’d probably now be without a brother. The Orc pack would have surrounded Fili alone. Or maybe Fili would have turned back early and none of this would have come to pass. Kili sighed. His leg throbbed, his head ached, and he felt cold all over.

As Kili’s consciousness began to slip, Fili noticed the sudden amount of weight as he struggled to keep the unconscious dwarf upright. “Kili,” he grunted. “Come on, wake up.” Kili just groaned and Fili maneuvered himself around his brother and hoist his on to his back. Fili’s muscles screamed under the weight.

Fili didn’t make it far. He didn’t need to. He only wanted to find a good place to set camp. He found an area partially enclosed with trees to block the wind. He started a fire and dragged Kili close to it as possible. The night was not far away. They would have to stay here for the night. If Kili woke up and felt up to it, they could try to continue at night.

The wind howled, and the flames crackled. He’d been lucky to get the fire started at all. If it went out, he doubted he could get it started again. He thanked Mahal that despite the wind, it was still dry. He shuddered to think of what rain would mean for their journey. Fili began to doze.

He sat straight up and looked around. Something had spooked him. It was dark, but the fire still flickered in front of him, offering little light. He peeled his eyes and strained his ears. He could hear footsteps, and they were getting closer. The longer he listened, the more people he could hear.

Once more, he slipped his knife into his hand. Across the fire he could see Kili’s opened eyes staring at him. The younger dwarf struggled to pull out his own knife, but Fili could see he’d be in no position to fight. Fili’s mind was flying. If they attacked, maybe he could distract them long enough for Kili to get away. But Kili wouldn’t get far in his condition.

He didn’t have time to come up with a better plan. The first of the group passed the tree next to Fili’s and he jumped at them yelling “Kili, run!”

He had barely pinned the person down before he’d been flipped over. They struggled, rolling along the ground trading blows. Fili tried to see where Kili was between the fighting but his view was blocked as the owners of the other footsteps entered the camp. “Dwalin, stop! It’s them.”

The weight lifted off of Fili and in the flickering light of the fire he recognized the shape of his uncle’s close friend. Dwalin helped Fili to his feet. “We’ve been looking for you, lad.”

Fili felt a great surge of relief. It was quelled almost instantaneously when he saw his uncle kneeling next to Kili. All the dread and guilt of the last few days reared its head in his gut. “We were ambushed by Orcs two nights ago,” he started. “Kili’s leg is broken.”

Dwalin looked at him quietly before also going to Kili’s side. The younger dwarf was still shivering but he seemed to be talking. Thorin stood up and Fili lowered his head as his uncle advanced, his body tensing for the inevitable scolding that was about to come. So when Thorin’s arms wrapped around Fili and drew him into an embrace, he was surprised and relieved. Fili’s body sagged into that of Thorin’s. “Uncle-”

Thorin pulled away and they touched foreheads. “Some of our own were attacked on road by Orcs. When you and Kili didn’t return, we feared the worst. Your mother is sick with worry.”

“Uncle, I didn’t-"

Thorin held up his hand. “You did all you could. I am not cross with you.” He looked at his younger nephew shivering on the ground. “Kili and I, however, will have words about leaving home unannounced.”

They had a company of seven on ponies and had brought food. After a quick meal, Thorin decided that Kili should ride ahead with a small company to get treated. Fili and his uncle helped the injured dwarf onto his pony. Kili cringed, but knew it would be far less painful than having to walk leaning on his brother. Dwalin and four others were to ride with him.

Kili looked at his older brother standing next to him. The younger dwarf was still shivering with fever, but color had returned to his face upon eating. “Sorry for all the trouble, brother.”

Fili nodded but didn’t say anything. He stood by Kili’s side until the group rode out of camp, Thorin and a few others staying behind to walk with Fili.

Thorin watched his elder nephew carefully. He watched the young dwarf almost seem to shrink as his younger brother disappeared in the darkness. He placed his hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “He’ll be just fine, Fili.”

“I should have done more to protect him.”

“Did you do less than your best?”

Fili spun round. “Of course not, when Kili’s concerned I’d never-”

Thorin put both hands on his nephew’s shoulders. “Fili, I know. You know it. You did all you could.”

Fili wasn’t convinced. “I should have done more.”

“And Kili shouldn’t have followed you,” Thorin snapped, exasperated. “What then? I’d be burying you instead of Kili having a broken leg. Fili, we would all rather he have the broken leg than one of you be dead. Do you understand?”

Fili lowered his head and nodded. “Yes, Uncle.”

“Then let’s put this behind us and make for home,” Thorin said. Fili looked at his uncle, and the rightful King of Erebor touched his head to his nephew’s. “Accidents happen, Fili.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks for sticking with my work! Constructive criticism always welcome. I struggled with the ending so I'm sorry if it feels a little weak. Check out my tumblr at http://supersherjohnlocked.tumblr.com .

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Please leave comments. I'm always looking to improve on my writing. Chapter Two will be up shortly.


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